Heretofore, since an effective means for capturing a single cell has not yet been established, a global competition is underway. There are papers on a massively parallel manipulation of single cells with optoelectronic tweezers (for example, see non-patent document 1), single-cell microassay by a polystylene microchamber array chip (for example, see non-patent document 2), and a separation of a single cell by a high-density hydrodynamic cell-isolation array (for example, see non-patent document 3), as well as patent documents related to a device or a method for capturing cells as stated below.
For example, a slide for separating cells enabling a gene analysis by separating cells using existing instruments in a general blood test room without needing a skill, wherein the cell separation is enabled by attaching the cells to the slide and then cutting off the part to which one or more cells have been attached (for example, see patent document 1); and a kit for diagnosing cancer, infectious disease, or other pathological process, comprising a selectively-activatable transport surface which can be activated so as to provide a selective region having an adhesive property, and at least one probe or marker that can be applied to a cellular material sample from an abnormal tissue so as to distinguish a cellular material sample from a normal tissue and the cell sample from the abnormal tissue, are known (for example, see patent document 2).
Furthermore, a device for separating and sorting cells, that can produce a large number of cell-containing drops with a small diameter while preventing damages to the cells, which device comprises a cell-alignment part in which a cell suspension containing a large number of cells are treated to make the cells align and then flow at an interval; a cell information detection part which detects information on the cells by subjecting the cells aligned in the cell-alignment part to a detection process; and a cell-sorting part which sorts out cells based on the information detected at the cell information detection part, wherein the cell-alignment part is provided with a first passage for flowing the cell suspension, and a second passage which communicates with the first passage in the direction crossing the first passage, which second passage is for flowing a fluid substance for interrupting the cell-suspension flow of the first passage; and a substrate for aligning cells, are known (for example, see patent document 3).
Further, a method for separating cells, comprising the steps of: allowing a target cell to take in via a transporter a specific substance for labeling and distinguishing; optically detecting a substance labeled with the specific substance for labeling and distinguishing that has been taken in, to separate the target cell; and separating the specific substance for labeling and distinguishing taken in by the separated target cell, wherein a cell is labeled, and a target cell is subjected to an electrolytic force and then separated and recovered using a cell separation device for separating the cell from other cells, in a manner so as to minimize the impact on the cell and to facilitate the utilization of the recovered cell, is known (for example, see patent document 4).
Further, a cell capturing device which enables an easy and reliable cell-capture and transmission observation of cells, wherein a cell petri-dish of the cell capturing device has a structure in which a pair of through-pores at two positions of a bottom-plate part and an intake-channel linking the lower openings of the through-pores are formed, a transparent plate member is provided to seal a groove part from the lower side of the bottom-plate part, a capture plate is arranged at the positions of upper openings of the through-pores, and a suction tube leading from a suction pump is connected to the upper openings of the through-pores, is known (for example, see patent document 5).
Further, a micro-channel array device that can solve various problems in the actual use of microinjection method, that facilitates a capture of a particle and an insertion of a needle while observing a cell under a microscope and that can efficiently inject a substance to the particle (for example, to a cell), which device consists of a first substrate having on its surface a concave that has a though-pore penetrating the substrate and a number of micro grooves that communicate between the concave and an end face of the substrate, and a transparent second substrate, wherein the second substrate is joined to the surface of the first substrate, whereby an open end for capturing a particle, constituted by the groove, is formed on the end face of the first substrate which is a part joining the first substrate and the second substrate, is known (for example, see patent document 6).
Meanwhile, the present inventors have reported a device for separating a microorganism, capable of separating and recovering a subject microorganism selectively and accurately from sample water, comprising a flat plate substrate having a flow channel including a fluid-supply opening and a fluid-suction opening formed inside; a microchip provided at the fluid-suction opening of the flat plate substrate, having a capture part consisting of a plurality of through-pores with a diameter smaller than the minimum diameter of the subject microorganism; a water-sample suction means connected to the capture part of the microchip to suction the water sample; and a sample-water supply means connected to the fluid-supply opening of the flat plate substrate of the microchip to supply the sample water, in the device for separating a microorganism that separates and recovers the subject microorganism contained in the sample water (for example, see patent document 7).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-332688    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-345868    Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-144    Patent Document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-42654    Patent Document 5: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-280231    Patent Document 6: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-27969    Patent Document 7: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2007-89566    Non-patent Document 1: Pei Yu Chiou, Aaron T. Ohta, Ming C. Wu, All, Nature Vol. 436, 21 Jul. 2005, p 370    Non-patent Document 2: Shohei Yamamura et al., Anal. Chem., 2005, Vol. 77, p 8050-8056    Non-patent Document 3: Dino Di Cario, Nima Aghdam, Luke P. Lee, Anal. Chem. 2006, Vol. 78, p 4925-4930